"You need to go to Glasgow and win."

Eight words. It was a simple message. In reality, it was much harder than that. However, it became the mantra of the most successful Aberdeen side in history. Yours truly is old enough to remember Sir Alex Ferguson's Reds in their pomp and ceremony. Trust me, they were an excellent team.

From 1979 to 1986, Aberdeen were a force to be reckoned with at home and abroad. Three League titles, four Scottish Cups, one Scottish League Cup, one European Cup-Winners, and one UEFA Super Cup are testament to that. The men from the Granite City broke the duopoly of Celtic and Rangers at the top of Scottish football's pile. Alongside Jim McLean's Dundee United, the Dons mounted a genuine challenge for all of Scottish football's top honours during the late 1970s to mid-1980s.

Dubbed the 'New Firm' by the media, the Reds and the Tangerines gave Celtic and Rangers so much more to focus their energy on than just each other. For a blissful short period growing up Scottish football was about much more than Celtic and Rangers. The 'New Firm' were a breath of fresh air. Aberdeen and Dundee United made Scottish football as ferociously competitive as it has ever been in its illustrious history and everybody got right behind them - especially in Europe.

Further proof if any was needed lies in the fact that from season 1978/79 until 1986/87 Rangers failed to win a single title. That's because clubs like Aberdeen were too busy going to Glasgow and winning. Aberdeen under Ferguson in particular were past masters at winning in Glasgow. Willie Miller epitomised the Reds team back then. Miller was a colossus for Aberdeen and a fantastic footballer to boot. He was arguably the best penalty-box defender I have ever seen. That is no exaggeration. He was also one of the best tacklers and readers of a game ever.

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(Image: SNS Group) Miller became used to winning silverware and his iconic one-handed lifting of silverware was synonymous with Ferguson's all-conquering Aberdeen. It was Miller who famously said: "'We were familiar with Rangers and Celtic. We had a manager who came from Glasgow. The focus Sir Alex Ferguson had was straightforward: 'If you want to win anything, you have to win in Glasgow'.

"It is an obvious statement because all the cup finals are down there and it is where Rangers and Celtic play. But it was something we had to do. It was drilled into us."

Miller's Aberdeen had it drilled into them. Under Ferguson Aberdeen were the real deal. Not since 2018 have the Reds been regarded as genuine title challengers when they finished runners-up to Brendan Rodgers' Celtic. Ironically an Andrew Considine goal in a 1-0 victory in the final match of the 2017/18 season at Celtic Park is the last time Aberdeen tasted victory over the champions. That win also saw the Reds clinch the second spot and pip Rangers to the coveted place.

This weekend Jimmy Thelin's Reds will put their 100 per cent record Scottish Premiership to the test when they come calling to Glasgow to face Celtic. Are Aberdeen the real deal under the new Swedish coach? The fans certainly seem to think so and they have enjoyed taunting Celtic supporters over the past few weeks with good-natured chants of: "Fuck you Celtic, we are going to win the league!" Good on them. The Aberdeen supporters are certainly living in the moment. We'll see if their banter extends right through until 5pm on Saturday.

It's the kind of swagger and confidence not seen from an Aberdeen fan base since they were cheering on their heroes during the halcyon days under Ferguson with a team that sported generational talents such as Miller, Alex McLeish, Gordon Strachan, Mark McGhee and Eric Black. 

Here's a sobering thought for those of a red-and-white persuasion getting any kind of conceit of themselves. When Rangers entered into liquidation and started again in the bottom tier of Scottish football, it was Aberdeen who emerged as a genuine second force. During Ronny Deila’s first season at Celtic Park in 2014/15, Derek McInnes was the Aberdeen manager and the Reds trailed in some 17 points behind Celtic losing all four fixtures in the league. The following season 2015/16 saw the gap reduced by McInnes to 15 points with Celtic winning just two out of the four league meetings between the two clubs.

When Brendan Rodgers arrived on the scene Celtic blew the Dons away in 2017 as the Irishman's side picked up an 'Invincibles Treble' defeating Aberdeen on six occasions in all competitions in the process. Interestingly enough Aberdeen have lost nine out of the last 10 fixtures against Celtic. Celtic are also unbeaten against Aberdeen in their last 25 games of which 20 of those have been victories. So, Aberdeen haven't been winning in the Granite City let alone Glasgow.

That's the weight of history that Thelin and his men are up against. It's a tall order to win in Glasgow. Old habits die hard for Celtic and their manager. In his first outing against the Reds since he returned as Celtic manager last summer ruthless Rodgers and his men battered the opposition 6-0 at Parkhead. Aberdeen totally capitulated and conceded three goals in added-on time as Celtic ran riot.

This season both sides sport identical Scottish Premiership records. Played seven, won seven, drawn none, lost none. Celtic are in pole position on goal difference by virtue of the fact they have scored 22 and conceded just one in the league since the start of the campaign. By contrast, Aberdeen have scored 15 goals and conceded six for a goal difference of plus nine.

Yet, Thelin's side though has shown some Celtic traits of late. A 90th-minute Kevin Nisbet goal handed the Dons a priceless away win in Dingwall back in August. They were at it again before the international break when Ante Palaversa netted an 88th-minute clincher against Hearts in a 3-2 victory at Pittodrie. Conversely, when Celtic have got it right this season they have tended to pulverize teams. Kilmarnock, Rangers, Slovan Bratislava, Falkirk and St Johnstone have got the message from the men in green and white thus far.

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(Image: SNS Group) The Celtic supporters are even having a chuckle at the fact that for the time being they don't see Rangers as their main challenger for the Scottish Premiership title. That's not being dismissive of Philippe Clement's men but the five-point gap that Celtic have eked out so early doesn't look like it will be getting overhauled anytime soon judging by the way Rodgers' side clinically despatched their rivals at Parkhead back in September with goals from Daizen Maeda, Kyogo Furuhashi and Callum McGregor.

When Celtic click through the gears they are hard to stop. Rodgers' side are even harder to beat when they are in the mood. The international break might well been what the doctor ordered for Celtic after back-to-back below-par displays in both Europe against Dortmund and the Scottish Premiership against Ross County. It will have allowed the Irishman to recalibrate, reassess and revitalise his side. These are the matches that get Rodgers' juices flowing as a manager and more often than not Celtic has come up with all the right answers, especially against Aberdeen.

Rodgers' Celtic at this minute in time are fixated on the challenge from their Aberdeen friends in the north not their sporting rivals on the south...side. That may be hard for those of a light blues persuasion to accept at this juncture but it is painfully accurate. Thelin and his Aberdeen side will ride into Glasgow on Saturday with 13 straight wins under his belt for a traditional three o'clock kick-off between the two top-performing sides in the country. This is the toughest task yet that the Swede will have faced after ascending into the Pittodrie hot seat.

The G40 stage is set. Are Aberdeen the real deal? Should Celtic fear the Reds more than Rangers this season? Can Aberdeen really 'go to Glasgow and win'? If Aberdeen does triumph at Celtic Park then Rodgers and his men will feel as if they have had: 'A Kick Up the Eighties'. Aberdeen be warned though, you are facing the football equivalent of your bogeyman. In his 17 fixtures against Aberdeen as Celtic manager Rodgers' record thus far reads 15 wins, one draw and one defeat.

That's what you call a hex. Just ask Rangers.